CDOT provides a physical and virtual environment for the development and research of open source products through collaboration with Seneca, the open source community, business, and other institutions. The centre is an integration point for knowledge, education, and relationships within the open source world.

Open source is about more than just source code: it’s about knowledge. While the source code to open products might be freely available, there is a lot one needs to know in order to leverage it and make changes. In addition to the source code, education and expertise in how to use and proposal software modify it are needed. Seneca has this knowledge. Seneca is a leader in applied and pragmatic computing, with a focus on open source academics, applied research, and partnerships. Through initiatives such as the annual Free Software and Open Source Symposium (FSOSS), Seneca has become synonymous with linking the open source community, industry, and educators.